1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to a brassiere.
2. Description of the Background Art
Brassieres of this type are known and are encountered worldwide in many variations. They are usually made up of a front part, which essentially comprises two breast cups, which can be shaped in a great variety of ways and which are connected over a center bridge. The outer side edges of the front part have attached side parts, the free ends of which can be connected by a back closure in the back area of an individual wearing the brassiere. The side parts can be sewn to the front part, but may also be designed in one piece with it. Since such brassieres have as their essential function both lifting and supporting and also shaping the bust, as a rule they are provided with shoulder straps in the form of supporting straps which connect the breast cups with the back ends of the side parts. Naturally it is expected that such brassieres, in addition to high wearing comfort, will have an attractive external appearance.
Aside from the fact that such brassieres are generally made of several parts connected together by seams sewn with thread, as edge reinforcements along their edges they often have retaining, edging or facing strips, which, since especially the side parts often consist of elastic materials, are generally fastened by means of zigzag seams. In practice it has been found that such seams are often visible under the outer clothing, which leads to impairment of the external appearance of the clothing.
In addition, the strips fixed by seams, usually arranged on the inside of the brassiere primarily for optical reasons, come into direct contact with the skin of the brassiere wearer, which can lead to skin irritations especially in sensitive individuals, and considerably interferes with the wearing comfort. Although the use of facing strips with at least one soft, plush-like surface generally means that the sewing threads sink into the plush-like material, this in turn has the drawback that these facing strips, thicker because of their plush-like quality, are visible beneath the outer clothing. This especially involves the seams in the area of the side parts of a brassiere, since good fit of the brassiere presumes appropriate tensioning of the side parts that are pressed against the upper body of the wearer.
The drawbacks of seams that are visible from the outside under the outer clothing, or, facing inward, show a tendency toward skin irritations, are especially seen in brassieres in which the side parts consist of two or more layers of a textile material which is seamed along the free edges and in view of the elasticity of the material employed is connected together by zigzag seams. An additional thickening of the edge areas often follows from the necessity of folding over the border of the base material to prevent raveling of the edge.